Scientists have developed a prototype for self-assembling robots!

A prototype of a new modular robot, with its innards exposed and its flywheel — which gives it the ability to move independently — pulled out.PHOTO: M. SCOTT BRAUER

The team were able to construct small cubes that with no exterior moving parts were able to propel themselves forward, climb and jump on top of each other and snap together to form arbitrary shapes. The cubes could even move while suspended upside down from metallic surfaces.